Alinghi announcements

VIPs and press pitch up in Valencia to gleam the latest from the America's Cup defender

The Valencian Town Hall was packed when Mayoress Rita Barbera and President of the Valencia Region Francisco Camps welcomed the 104 members of Team Alinghi to Valencia this morning. Numerous politicians, diplomats and representatives of the Valencian and Spanish sports and cultural community watched the last line being engraved on the America's Cup, commemorating Alinghi's historical victory in Auckland in 2003. With the ceremony, Alinghi closed a circle which began with the 2000 campaign, brought the Cup to Geneva in 2003 and now ends temporarily in Valencia, where Alinghi will fight to win the Trophy again in 2007.

The 120 journalists and 14 TV channels crammed into the Town Hall showed that Alinghi has outgrown its pure sporting origin. "We are here to win the Cup again," said Alinghi owner and President, Ernesto Bertarelli. "But we are also here to assist the development of the Valencian region and to build bridges between nations and people, particularly between Switzerland and Spain." Alinghi's wishes seem very close to fulfilment as Geneva State Minister Carlo Lamprecht announced an economical, cultural and educational cooperation, a 'Memorandum of Understanding', between Switzerland's Lake Geneva Region and the Valencia Region which will be signed imminently.

Brad Butterworth explained that the team relocation to Valencia has been motivated by a strong desire to train hard and efficiently. "We also came here to take part in the Valencia social life. We want to be part of this community and it is with great emotion that I see today sportsmen and women welcoming us from football, basketball, handball, motor biking, athletics, swimming, car racing, blind running, squash, tennis and sailing. You cannot be the home team if you just work here; you really need to be integrated. And to do so, Alinghi has launched several projects that will enable the fans to get even closer to us."



for more photos of the base - see page two...

In autumn 2005 Alinghi will inaugurate its massive new in Valencia. This not only houses space for their ACC yachts, work spaces for 110, a team restaurant and gym, but also, in a bid to share the America's Cup experience, there is an extensive interactive zone planned to give people the 'touch and feel' experience of what America's Cup racing and the Alinghi team spirit are all about.

Part of this experience will see Alinghi launch a full-size America's Cup Class Simulator, based on the winning yacht SUI64. In the water next to the base, the 11-man simulator can heel to 30deg and tack within 45deg. "All good relationships are built on understanding and one of the hardest things to do is to give non-AC sailors a feel for what we do on a daily basis," is how Grant Simmer, co-managing director of Alinghi, explains the rationale behind the simulator. "Our boatbuilder Décision and the marketing team have created this concept and it is much more than just a high-tech toy. Of course it is going to be great fun, but our aim is to share the experience of interaction on a boat like this with as many people as possible."

Alinghi's new base will also host the new Alinghi Academy, providing Alinghi followers with the opportunity to learn from the team. Aside from the simulator another feature will be the sailing experience provided on 7.5m LOA boats for up to five people plus an Academy coach. The goal of this program is not so much to teach people to sail, but rather to demonstrate how good teamwork allows for higher performance and greater success. Furthermore, Alinghi announced a ground breaking new association with the Instituto de Empresa Madrid, the highest ranking business school in the Spanish speaking world. The two partners will offer a management program for two to three days every three months inspired by Alinghi's core values - teamwork, leadership, motivation and excellence - and developed jointly with Alinghi's senior staff.

After the reception at the Town Hall, Alinghi took handball legend Iñaki Urdangarin and FC Valencia captain Ruben Baraja (below) on board as representatives of the Spanish sports community and SUI64 and SUI75 sailed out of the Darsena to open sea, thus launching the official start of Alinghi's campaign in Valencia.



With all these activities going on in Valencia, Alinghi have not forgotten their native country, Switzerland. UBS and Alinghi, with the support of Swiss Sailing, have created the UBS Alinghi Swiss Tour to assist the development of competitive sailing in Switzerland. The series of six match races starting in Zurich in May and ending with a final in Valencia in November has generated a success way above expectations. The Alinghi teams led by strategist Jordi Calafat (Zurich), helmsmen Ed Baird (Thun and probably Geneva) and Peter Holmberg (Lugano) and strategist Murray Jones (Romanshorn) will race against fierce opposition. Instead of the initially expected 25 to 30 teams, 48 Swiss teams have already registered and a further 26 teams from abroad (NZL, AUS, POL, DEN, NED, GER, FRA, ITA, CRO) have requested entry. The series is also supported by new co-sponsors Kronenbourg, Nespresso and Franke.